Xi meets Pakistan PM and Serbian President; Coal mine explosion; Delinking basic public services from hukou; Crackdown on overseas trading; AI
Newsletter schedule this week: There will be no issues Wednesday or Thursday this week. There will be an episode of Sharp China that we will publish Thursday.
If there is going to be a publicly announced May Politburo meeting, it should happen this week. There was no announced May meeting in 2023 or 2025, for reasons unknown.
Today’s top items:
1. Xi meets Pakistan PM - Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir were in Beijing Monday. Xi met Shehbaz, Li Qiang held formal talks with him and witnessed the signing of cooperation documents on trade, science and technology, agriculture and human resources. Wang Yi met Munir separately. Xi and Wang Yi both gave Pakistan credit for its role mediating between Washington and Tehran. Xi said:
China appreciates Pakistan’s initiative in taking responsibility, playing a mediating role for the restoration of peace in the Middle East. The two sides should continue to maintain close communication and coordination, jointly oppos…